Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second | Every planning control identified for any lot | Every planning rule & overlay cross-referenced in one query | Approval likelihood scored for every control | Conflicts and overrides resolved automatically | Every answer cited to the source clause | Ask planning questions in plain English | Results in under 1 second |
Suburb planning guide · Updated 2026-04-27

Willoughby East, NSW 2068 Zoning, development potential & planning controls

Low Density Residential dominant. Median sale $3.8M over the last 24 months. 83% of decided DAs approved.

Dominant zone
R2
Low Density Residential
Median sale (24m)
$3.8M
41 sales
DA approval rate
83%
47 of 57 approved
Total lots
626
Marketplace

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Zoning

What you can build in Willoughby East

Willoughby East is dominated by R2Low Density Residential. Land use rules, height, FSR, and permitted developments are set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan and refined by the Development Control Plan.

R2
Dominant
R2 Low Density Residential 98.7%
RE1 Public Recreation 1.0%
SP2 Infrastructure 0.3%
Avg max height
8.0 m

Limit varies by lot — check your address for the exact figure.

Avg max FSR
0.40:1

Floor Space Ratio — total floor area as a multiple of lot area.

Use mix
Residential99%

Location

Where Willoughby East sits

Willoughby East 2068 covers an undefined area within Willoughby City Council.

Overlays © NSW Government
Council
Willoughby City Council
Postcode
2068
Area
Total lots
626

Drill into any lot in Willoughby East

Open the interactive map — click any address to see its zone, height, FSR, overlays, and approval likelihood.

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Development potential

Where the upside is in Willoughby East

We score every lot for development signal — under-built relative to the controls, eligible for a granny flat, or sized for subdivision.

Underdeveloped
138

lots with remaining GFA capacity

granny flat eligible
582

under SEPP (Housing) 2021

Subdivision potential
58

lots that may support subdivision

Total dev potential
612 lots

show at least one development signal

Rezoning signal score
47.3 /100

average uplift signal across the suburb

Theoretical capacity if every lot built to its limit: 1,854 dwellings, with 63,129 m² of unused GFA across the suburb.

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Constraints & risks

What could stop you in Willoughby East

28% of lots have a heritage listing or sit in a Heritage Conservation Area — expect controls on demolition, alterations, and additions.

Suburb-wide percentages — your specific lot may have all, some, or none of these.

Flood-affected None

Mapped flood-prone land

Bushfire-prone None

RFS bushfire-prone land mapping

Heritage controls 27.6%

Heritage item or Conservation Area

Near contaminated land 0.2%

Within 100 m of EPA-listed site

Threatened ecology (TEC) None

Mapped TEC vegetation

Sea-level rise exposure None

Coastal hazard mapping

Flight noise contour None

ANEF / aircraft noise

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House cleaning service · serves Willoughby East, NSW

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Market

Willoughby East property market

Sales, rent, and yield data drawn from NSW Property Sales Information and rental bond data over the past 24 months.

Median sale price (24m)
$3,800,000
41 sales · land value $2.53M
Median rent (house)
$950 / wk
Houses
Gross rental yield
1.3%
House, gross of costs

DA activity

Development applications in Willoughby East

57 development applications for Willoughby East addresses were decided by Willoughby City Council over the past 24 months. 47 approved — a 83% approval rate. Average processing time: 40 days.

83%
Approved
DAs lodged (24m)
57
Approved
47
New dwelling DAs
51
Building approvals (12m)
20

Demographics & lifestyle

Who lives in Willoughby East

ABS Census 2021 population data combined with lot-level amenity, healthcare, lifestyle, and crime indices.

Green cover
43%
Amenity score
70.9 /100

Walkable amenity within 1 km

Healthcare access
69.3 /100

GP / hospital / pharmacy proximity

Lifestyle score
55.4 /100

Cafés, parks, schools, transport

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FAQs

Common questions about Willoughby East

What's the zoning in Willoughby East 2068?

Willoughby East is dominated by the R2 (Low Density Residential) zone, which covers 618 of 626 lots (99%). The full mix is: R2 Low Density Residential (99%), RE1 Public Recreation (1%), SP2 Infrastructure (0%).

What's the height limit and FSR in Willoughby East?

Across Willoughby East, the average maximum building height is 8.0 m and the average maximum Floor Space Ratio (FSR) is 0.40:1. Individual lots can vary materially — height and FSR are set per zone in the Local Environmental Plan (LEP) and can be modified by overlays. For an exact figure on a specific address, generate a planning report.

Can I build a granny flat in Willoughby East?

Yes — 582 lots in Willoughby East appear eligible for a granny flat under SEPP (Housing) 2021, based on lot size, zoning, and frontage. Eligibility is lot-specific: get a planning report on your address to confirm.

What's the median property price in Willoughby East?

The median sale price in Willoughby East over the past 24 months is $3,800,000, across 41 sales. Median unimproved land value is $2,530,000.

What's the median rent in Willoughby East?

Median weekly rent for a house in Willoughby East is $950. Gross rental yield works out to 1.3%.

What's the development application approval rate in Willoughby City Council?

Willoughby City Council decided 57 development applications for Willoughby East addresses over the past 24 months, with 47 approved (83% approval rate). Average processing time is 40 days. Processing time depends heavily on application complexity, council backlog, and whether the application requires referral to other agencies.

What planning constraints apply in Willoughby East?

Across Willoughby East, 28% with heritage controls, 0.2% near contaminated sites. These are suburb-wide percentages — every lot has its own combination. A planning report on a specific address shows exactly which controls apply.

What's the development potential of Willoughby East?

612 of 626 lots in Willoughby East show identifiable development potential — under-developed for the planning controls, eligible for a granny flat, or capable of subdivision. Average rezoning signal score: 47.3 / 100.

Get a planning report for any address in Willoughby East

Suburb-wide stats are useful for context. For a buy-or-walk decision on a specific lot, you need every control, every constraint, and every clause cited to source.

Run a report — from A$29

14-section report · LEP + SEPP + DCP cross-referenced · cited to source

Methodology & sources

Zoning, height, FSR, and overlays parsed from the Willoughby City Council Local Environmental Plan, applicable State Environmental Planning Policies, and the Development Control Plan. Property sales drawn from NSW Property Sales Information. DA history aggregated from the NSW Planning Portal. Heritage, flood, bushfire, contaminated land, TEC, sea-level rise, and aircraft noise overlays from the NSW Spatial Services and EPA registers. Population, age, income, and tenure from ABS Census 2021. Aggregated by ZoneDSS · last updated 2026-04-27.

Suburb-wide statistics — your specific lot may vary. Always run a planning report on the actual address before making a decision. How ZoneDSS works →